EP2895129B1 - Wheelchair - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a wheelchair. A conventional wheelchair includes a chair frame with a seat between two large drive wheels and two smaller auxiliary wheels and footrests in front of them. The drive wheels are provided on their outer side with a drive ring, which in turn is connected to the wheel rim. The drive rings are rotatable with the hands, which allows independent movement without third parties.
Since this locomotion is forceful, was in the DE-U-202010005729 proposed a drive that should enable a power-saving and safe handling. This is done by a drive lever which is articulated on the wheel axles of the drive wheels and can be pivoted back and forth about the wheel axle. The drive levers extend beyond the radius of the drive wheel and are provided with a handle and a brake. The pivotal movement of a drive lever is limited by a guided in a longitudinal slot of a mudguard extension arm.
In the DE-U-202008017474 In the axes of the drive wheels, a drive motor for assisting the manual drive force is arranged, wherein a control device is provided which has an antiskid operating mode.
In a similar solution according to DE-U-202007008736 each drive wheel is part of a drive wheel module with an im Frame frame of the wheelchair arranged drive unit to keep the width of the wheelchair low. The person sitting in the wheelchair must use at least one hand to move around a drive ring of a drive wheel and / or to operate the control device of a drive unit.
Out GB05907 describes a kind of wheelchair, in which seat and backrest are articulated below and behind the wheel axle, so that they are tiltable transversely to the wheel axle. The tilting movement is transmitted to the wheel axle by means of a rack. To perform the tilting movement, the user must hold on to a handle.
DE3827153 describes a wheelchair with a chassis frame and a seat which is longitudinally slidably mounted on the chassis frame, such that the wheelchair user by supporting on a footrest, the seat back and forth, back and forth, this movement via a power transmission on an axle of the chassis is transmitted. To perform the movement, the user must hold on to a handle.

• Fig. 1: einen Rollstuhl mit einer Hilfsantriebseinrichtung
• Fig. 2: eine Detaildarstellung der Hilfsantriebseinrichtung.

Ein herkömmlicher Rollstuhl umfasst einen, nur angedeuteten Stuhlrahmen 1 mit einer Sitzfläche 2 zwischen zwei grossen Antriebsrädern 3 sowie übliche, nicht dargestellte kleinere Hilfsräder und Fussstützen vor diesen. Die Antriebsräder 3 sind auf ihrer Aussenseite mit einem Antriebsring 4 versehen, der wiederum mit der Radfelge 5 verbunden ist. Die Antriebsringe 4 sind mit den Händen der sitzenden Person 10 drehbar, was eine eigenständige Fortbewegung ohne Drittpersonen ermöglicht.
Zusätzlich sind aussen an den Radachsen 6 der Antriebsräder 3 Antriebshebel 7 angeordnet, die um die Radachse hin- und hergeschwenkt werden können oder als Kurbelschwingen ausgebildet sind. Die Antriebshebel 7 reichen über den Radius des Antriebsrades 3 hinaus und sind mit einem Handgriff 8 versehen.
Die Sitzfläche 2 ist zur Radachse 6 gelenkig resp. kippfähig auf einem Schwenklager 21 oberhalb der kurbelschwingenartigen Radwelle 9 angeordnet. An den, dem jeweiligen Antriebsrad 3 gegenüberliegenden Aussenbereichen 23 der Sitzfläche 2 ist ein Hebel 22 angelenkt, der gelenkig mit einer Ausbiegung 91 der Radwelle 9 verbunden ist. Die Ausbiegung 91 ist schräg oder gekrümmt ausgeformt.
Neigt sich ein Aussenbereich 23 infolge einer, von der fahrenden Person ausgelösten Kippbewegung der Sitzfläche 2 nach unten, drückt sie dabei den angelenkten Hebel 22 nach unten und bewirkt über die Ausbiegung 91 eine Drehung der Radwelle 9 und somit der Antriebsräder 3. Gleichzeitig wird der andere Hebel 22 nach oben gezogen. Durch eine nachfolgende Kippbewegung der Sitzfläche 2 in die andere Richtung wird der andere Hebel 22 nach unten gedrückt und bewirkt eine weitergehende Drehung der Radwelle 9.The invention is therefore based on the object to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art and to propose a wheelchair, in particular a wheelchair with an additional auxiliary drive device, which also allows movement of the wheelchair without the use of hands.
This object is solved with the features of claim 1. A standard wheelchair has one along the Wheel axle of the drive wheels in the direction of the drive wheels and / or transversely thereto tiltable seat, wherein the tilting axis of the seat is located centrally between the drive wheels on the wheel axle.
Seat is preferably connected via lever joints, rack / gear drives oa drives with the wheel shaft of the drive wheels. The drive can also be an electric drive, an air motor can be added. If the tilting movement is perpendicular to the wheel axle of the drive wheels, the seat back can also be designed to be tiltable, similar to hand levers of hand lever trailing wheels or hammers.
Further preferred embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims. Thus, the wheel shaft may be formed as a crankshaft whose bends are preferably formed obliquely or curved to avoid dead centers or includes a lever-plunger assembly.
Each drive wheel has a common drive ring and / or a drive lever.
When using rack / gear drives, the wheel shaft is straight, the levers are designed as racks and on the wheel shaft can even on each side stepped gears are arranged side by side, so that there is a gearshift. Likewise, the seat bottom could be formed as a gear segment, which corresponded with a horizontally arranged rack whose ends are in turn connected to levers or racks.
By means of the invention, a wheelchair can be moved transversely to the direction of travel solely by a tilting movement of the seat, so that the hands are for example for a ball game or another Remain free, resp. even handicapped hands do not pose a problem. Such a wheelchair is also suitable for reversing. The mobility of the wheelchair user is thus significantly expanded.
Such lever joints or rocker arms are known per se from Handhebeldraisinen or Dutch. In the DE-A-3201310 For example, a drive device for bicycles with lever joints is described. On both sides of the bicycle such a drive device is mounted to avoid a dead center when pedaling.
In any case, the operation of the lever joints or rocker arms is done exclusively by hand or leg movements. In addition, various drives are conceivable, such as electric drives.
It is possible to transfer the tiltable seat and drive according to the invention also to bicycles. This would be created by tilting movements of the seat, an additional, acting on the rear wheel drive, while maintaining the pedal and chain drive.
The invention will be described below in an embodiment with reference to a drawing. In the drawing show the

• Fig. 1 : a wheelchair with an auxiliary drive device
• Fig. 2 : a detailed view of the auxiliary drive device.

A conventional wheelchair comprises a, only indicated chair frame 1 with a seat 2 between two large Drive wheels 3 and usual, not shown smaller auxiliary wheels and footrests in front of them. The drive wheels 3 are provided on their outer side with a drive ring 4, which in turn is connected to the wheel rim 5. The drive rings 4 are rotatable with the hands of the seated person 10, which allows autonomous locomotion without third parties.
In addition, outside of the wheel axles 6 of the drive wheels 3 drive lever 7 are arranged, which can be pivoted back and forth about the wheel axle or are designed as rocker arms. The drive lever 7 extend beyond the radius of the drive wheel 3 and are provided with a handle 8.
The seat 2 is articulated to the wheel axle 6, respectively. tiltable arranged on a pivot bearing 21 above the crankshaft-like wheel shaft 9. At the, the respective drive wheel 3 opposite outer regions 23 of the seat 2, a lever 22 is articulated, which is hingedly connected to a deflection 91 of the wheel shaft 9. The deflection 91 is formed obliquely or curved.
Tilts an outdoor area 23 as a result of a triggered by the person moving the tilting surface of the seat 2 down, it pushes the hinged lever 22 down and causes the deflection 91 rotation of the wheel shaft 9 and thus the drive wheels 3. At the same time the other Lever 22 pulled upwards. By a subsequent tilting movement of the seat 2 in the other direction of the other lever 22 is pressed down and causes a further rotation of the wheel shaft. 9

The wheelchair is driven by the tilting movement of the seat surface 2 and controlled by speed differences on the drive wheels 3. The wheelchair can move forwards and backwards in the direction of travel and can overcome inclines of up to 20 °.
Conventional wheel parking brakes serve as rollaway. A drive brake is given by operation of the hand lever (drive lever 7) and / or the back movements. A pressure point against accidental operation is possible, as well as a recuperation of the braking energy.

List of reference numbers

1

chair frame

2

seat

3

drive wheel

4

drive ring

5

wheel rim

6

wheel axle

7

drive lever

8th

handle

9

wheel shaft

10

person

21

pivot bearing

22

lever

23

Outside

91

deflection

Claims (6)

1. Wheelchair, wherein the wheelchair comprises at least one chair frame (1), with laterally arranged propulsion wheels (3) which are connected by means of a wheel shaft, and a seat arranged between the propulsion wheels (3) as well as auxiliary wheels, characterised in that the seat is arranged in a tiltable fashion along the wheel axle (6) of the propulsion wheels (3) or perpendicularly thereto, wherein the tilting axis of the seat is located above the wheel axle (6) and wherein the seat is connected by way of lever joints or rack/toothed wheel drives with the wheel axle of the propulsion wheels so that the wheelchair is propelled through the tilting movement of the seat and wherein the wheelchair is drivable only through the tilting movement.
2. Wheelchair according to claim 1 characterised in that coupled to the outer areas (23) of the seat surface (2) is a lever (22) which is connected in an articulated manner to a bent portion (91) of a crankshaft-like wheel shaft (9).
3. Wheelchair according to claim 1 characterised in that additional propulsion levers (7) are attached to the outside of the wheel axle of the propulsion wheels (3) .
4. Wheelchair according to at least one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that a rack is coupled to an outer area (23) of the seat surface (2) which corresponds to a toothed wheel on the wheel shaft (9).
5. Wheelchair according to at least one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that an underside of the seat surface (2) is designed as a toothed wheel segment which corresponds with a horizontally arranged rack.
6. Wheelchair according to at least one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that a propulsion unit is additionally assigned to the propulsion wheels (3).

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